sidebar missing from iCal in Lion — seeking a third party product to restore lost functionality

Busycal is FIFTY BUCKS. The fact that people are willing to spend $49.95 to fix iCal shows just how broken the current version of iCal is. My theory is that Apple intentionally damaged the functionality of iCal in Lion in order to encourage developers to create better software, of which Apple gets a piece of. I'm not normally one for conspiracy theories, but... Jobs hasn't been running Apple since he took medical leave in January. I can't help thinking this is a sign of a post-Jobs Apple. And I think that's a shame. The new iCal sure is pretty, but it's also poor design in terms of functionality. Coming from Apple, I find that very surprising. I really hope I'm wrong, but like I said, I have a bad feeling this is a sign of things to come.

Graham, this topic is about third party solutions, so if you don't like what I have to say, or others, mind your own business. We have problems that need solutions NOW, not 6 weeks or 6 months from now. Your chiding is not wanted or needed.

This is a source of frustration for me as well. In the meantime I am using BusyCal... but I don't want to have to pay for functionality that Apple previously provided for no charge and should continue to provide into the future. The move of elements of iOS to OS X can only go so far before it is a hindrance. It works beautifully on iOS because it needed to function that way with the small screens of iPads, but on a 27" iMac? I think not. I don't want to have to mouse over to a corner of the screen to see what I could see with just a glance in the more appropriately designed snow-leopard version of iCal. The same mousing over to the corner of the screen exists with the unatachable Safari Download "popover". These iOS function must stay iOS only.

Ron, this is his thread. He made this thread about how to REPAIR iCal. Not how to REPLACE it.

And the whole reason I'm READING THIS THREAD is because I want to know the answer to his quesiton.

If I want somebody to tell me to use BusyCal then I'll do a simple google search. If I want somebody to tell me where to find a hack or plug-in for iCal that restores the functionality we want without having to switch to a new application, then I'll read this thread.

So before you insult him, why don't you do like he asked and READ THE OPENING POST

Red, it is not HIS thread.....its an Apple Discussion. If you don't like my answer, keep YOUR mouth shut.

Graham Perrin wrote:

Again, please respect the opening post. This topic is about fixing iCal; not about alternatives to iCal. Thank you.

Until Apple alter iCal you'll have to take it as-is.

I switched (but am not suggesting you should) to BusyCal back in the Snow Leopard days because iCal failed to do what I needed, seems as if that has not improved.

Ron,

Do us a favor and take your sorry troll self off the message board.

Graham - thank you for starting this post, for keeping it on topic, and for providing links to additional posts which address related and appropriate topics. Well done.

I've sent feedback to Apple, and respectfully encourage anybody reading this thread to please take a quick moment to do the same. It is by far the best and most productive venue for us to make our voices heard:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/ical.html

cheers,

Mark

The Lion verision of Mail has a nice little pref "Use classic layout" -- that seems a reasonable solution for iCal too. My biggest gripe is the lack of full-month/next-month mini cals in the week display. I also miss the static calendar list, but the mini-cals at-a-glance are the biggest loss for my worthflow. I can no longer see when "two wendnesdays from now" is, for example.

My fancy new cinema display has all kinds of real estate, but iCal won't display any more data than the tiny little iOS screen... frustrating.

Scott

BusyCal is much better and in fact it's simply a different front end that uses the same system data as iCal. But it''s grotesquely expensive for what it does, is not often updated, and is thin on significant features that would make it that much better than iCal. I use it because I can't stand that narrow band of "to-do"s.

Hi Scott,

GREAT points and very well said in a very concise fashion - especially your second paragraph. Would you consider sending your feedback as a direct cut-and-paste to Apple please?

http://www.apple.com/feedback/ical.html

thanks,

Mark

Enough with the busycal spam. That thing costs fifty bucks. If someone is annoyed enough to leave iCal, they might as well switch to something else entirely. Google's calendar is free. Pair it up with the Fluid app that turns web apps into desktop apps and you've got a better solution. For free.

PLEASE, keep sending Apple the feedback about the new iCal.

http://www.apple.com/feedback/ical.html

Done and done.

Does BusyCal work in full screen mode? This would be essential if it were to function as a work around.